


Timing is important

by trolla22



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Best Friends, Childhood Friends, Eventual Happy Ending, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Minor Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Liu Yang Yang, Unrequited Crush, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-28 08:01:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30136473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trolla22/pseuds/trolla22
Summary: Love is a crazy thing.You don't choose who you love, it just happens.Yukhei certainly didn't expect to fall in love with his best friend.But what if his best friend falls in love with someone else instead?
Relationships: Mark Lee/Wong Yuk Hei | Lucas
Kudos: 22





	Timing is important

Fate must really hate him. There could be no other explanation than that.

How else could it be that the boy he had been in love with for over four years now, was currently wrapped up in his arms bawling his eyes out.

‘It’s not fair, Yukhei. Life is just not fair,’ the boy was crying out. And he fully agreed, life was not fair.

Here he was, on a Saturday evening, consoling Mark, his best friend, who had just broken up with his boyfriend after almost two years of dating. It broke his heart to see him like this. And even though, very very deep down, this sparked a tiny hope inside of him that Mark might love him back some day, it still hurt to see him devastated like this.

He knew his dreams were merely that, dreams. In all those years of friendship, Mark never showed any signs of liking him back the same way he did. And no matter how much he wanted this friendship to grow into something more, he also didn’t want to risk losing this friendship. So he kept quiet for all those years, silently loving Mark by taking care of him like his life depended on it.

Their friendship started when he moved next door to Mark. They were both eleven years old at that time. It was a scary time for him, having to move to a whole new city where he knew no one and had to start all over again. He had to leave his old life behind; his old school and classmates and most importantly, his friends. Luckily for him, the family next door came with a young, cheery boy who turned out to be exactly the same age as him. It really came to no one’s surprise that the two boys would quickly become best friends. In no time, the pair were literally attached at the hip. Everywhere Mark would go, Yukhei would follow after and vice versa.

They knew each other like the palm of their hands. They shared everything with each other; their secrets, their insecurities, their dreams, their ideas, and so on. Mark could read him like an open book, and the same could be said the other way around.

Their friendship followed them from middle school to high school. Naturally their circle of friends grew bigger, but no matter how many new friends they made, they didn’t measure up to their friendship. It was still Yukhei who Mark shared everything with, and it was also Mark who he shared everything with. Everything but one thing.

After a few years, he found himself developing feelings for Mark. Feelings that you wouldn’t usually have for just a friend, or even a best friend. He couldn’t quite place those feelings, considering that he never felt those for anyone else before. At first, he simply dismissed those feelings, arguing that those feelings were just platonic. He just felt this way because Mark was his best friend and because they spend so much time together.

But over time, he knew that his feelings weren’t platonic anymore. How else could he explain the fact that he was constantly thinking about Mark. Or that he gets butterflies in his stomach whenever Mark smiles at him. However, he couldn’t quite understand why he felt that way. You couldn’t blame him though, he was still at the young age of fifteen and developing feelings for his best friend, who also happens to be a guy, was something very alien to him. He never even felt this way for a girl before. It wasn’t like he was homophobic or against gay people - his parents raised him to be openminded and accepting of everyone - but he never expected himself to be gay.

It was hard and scary to come to this revelation, and the thought of having to come out to his parent was even scarier. But what scared him the most at that time, was to come out to Mark. He could gauge his parents’ reaction, he knew that they would accept him no matter what. But with Mark, he truly didn’t know what to expect. Deep down, he knew that Mark would accept him and treat him the same way. But somehow, he couldn’t help but think that maybe Mark would find things weird and wouldn’t want to be friends with him anymore. Or maybe things would get so awkward and they would slowly fall apart. And losing Mark was something he knew he didn’t want.

He even considered to not tell Mark anything, but he should’ve known better. Their four years of friendship naturally meant that Mark knew when something was going on. That is how he came out of the closet to Mark on a Friday night. They were just casually having one of their weekly game nights when Mark confronted him. ‘Hei, what is going on? You’ve been all fidgety for the whole evening. And not just this evening. You’ve been acting different the whole week. You know you can always tell me anything, right?’ Mark suddenly said when their Mario Kart round was over.

He knew this conversation would happen eventually, but he was truly dreading it. How does someone explain to his best friend that he was gay and also happens to have feelings for him. He could feel his temperature rising and his palms were starting to get sweaty. Telling Mark that he was gay was bound to happen one day, but telling him that he had feelings for him could potentially ruin their friendship. So he decided to tell Mark just the half of the truth.

‘Um, there is something I have to tell you Mark,’ he started, looking down at his hand. Never in his four years of knowing Mark did he ever expect to be so nervous in front of him. He always told Mark everything and every single time it had been very easy to do so. He continued when he saw that Mark was softly nodding at him. ‘I just want you to know that I’m still the same person, still the same Yukhei you know. I- um, I’m gay. My parents already know, I told them just last week,’ he said, looking up at Mark to see his reaction.

‘Hei that’s great! Was that why you were acting so nervous around me? You should love whoever you want to love, no matter what others think. Love is love. Love knows no boundaries. I’m really glad you shared that with me, Hei. I’m really happy for you. And thank you for sharing that with me, it must have been really scary for you to do that,’ Mark replied, hugging him. Relief flooded over him and he released a breath he didn’t even realise he was holding in.

It must have shown on his face how relieved he was, because Mark quickly commented to him, ‘You don’t have to be scared that this changes our friendship, Hei. I won’t think any differently of you. You’re still my best friend, nothing in the whole wide world will ever change that.’ And that was all he needed to hear for now. True, he wanted to be more than just friends, but for now this was enough. As long as he had Mark by his side.

Two years passed and their friendship was still as strong as ever. They were both seventeen at the time. They were both currently in their last year of high school. His feelings for Mark never faded in those two years, but he never acted on those feelings, too afraid to ruin their friendship. However, when Mark came out as bisexual one day, he thought that maybe this could be his chance.

He had been mentally preparing for a few weeks to confess to Mark and decided that he would do it on their weekly study session. He knew what he was going to say. He would say that he had been in love with him for the past two years and that even if Mark wouldn’t reciprocate his feelings, he wouldn’t hold it against him.

That evening, after they were having a break from studying, Mark suddenly spoke up. ‘Hei, I need to tell you something. Donghyuck asked me out the other day and I think I’m going to say yes. I think I really like him, he’s a really funny guy. What do you think? Should I say yes?’ He could feel his heart shatter when Mark said that. He really wanted to scream no, he wanted to tell Mark that he shouldn’t date Donghyuck but date him instead. But of course he couldn’t. He could never do that to Mark. And so he didn’t. ‘If you like him, then there is no harm in going on a few dates with him right? He seems like a great guy, I say you go for it Mark,’ he replied. And as those words left his lips, his heart was yet again broken in pieces.

After a few dates, Mark and Donghyuck made it official. And as much as he wanted to dislike Donghyuck for dating Mark, he simply couldn’t. Donghyuck was a great guy. He was funny and witty and most importantly, he made Mark feel so loved and happy. And at the end, that is all he ever wanted for Mark, even if it wasn’t him who made him feel that way.

It was hard for him to see Mark and Donghyuck together. It wasn’t that they were one of those mushy and touchy couples, but seeing Mark taking care of Donghyuck made him wish that it was him instead. After a while, he couldn’t bear it any longer. So whenever Mark invited him somewhere with Donghyuck, he always made excuses. Mark must have noticed that third-wheeling their dates made him uncomfortable, so he only invited him whenever their other friends would come as well.

Mark’s relationship didn’t change their friendship. He was still the same Mark that he knew and he still made sure to always make time for their weekly game and/or film nights. He was glad that Mark didn’t forget about him, but he knew that all Mark saw in him was a best friend and never anything more.

After they both graduated high school, they decided to go to the same university. At first he thought that maybe this could be a great time to start over. This was the perfect opportunity to move to a different city and attend a different university and start with a clean slate. However, the two of them had been planning and preparing for this ever since they were sixteen. He knew he couldn’t do this. Not to Mark, but also, not to himself. No matter how much he told himself that it would be good for him to move far away from Mark, he knew that he could never live without having Mark by his side.

And so, he went on with their plan. They moved to a city that was only a few hours away from the town he had called his home for the past six years. They decided that it would be much more beneficial to rent an apartment together instead of living in the dorms. It would give them much more space and they wouldn’t have to share their bathroom, kitchen and living room with a dozen other people. Sure, it was a little bit more expensive than the dorms, but the comfort that came with their own apartment definitely made up for it.

But living together with Mark also meant that he would be seeing him 24/7. On top of that, Donghyuck visited them almost every weekend and even though he liked Donghyuck, he could only handle so much. Maybe he hadn’t exactly thought this out very well.

Over time, he learned to deal with it. Whenever Donghyuck would come over to visit, he made sure that he would be somewhere else. He wasn’t sure if Mark knew that he didn’t like being around the couple, but if he did, he certainly didn’t comment on it.

Aside from his one-sided love for Mark, everything went well for the next two years. They were both in their second year of university and were trying to balance their schoolwork with both their part-time jobs and their personal lives. For Yukhei, it was pretty manageable. He worked as a part-timer at a local bar on Friday nights and his love life was pretty much dead. Mark on the other hand, was having a much harder time. On top of his school load and his work load as a barista at a local café, he also had to keep his relationship with Donghyuck going. Donghyuck was by now a freshman year and was trying to keep up with the struggle of college. It was hard for Mark and Donghyuck to make time for each other. The long distance between the two universities was not helping either.

Even though Mark and Donghyuck were definitely going through a hard time, Yukhei really thought that they would make it work. His feelings for Mark aside, he had to admit, Mark and Donghyuck really made a great couple. They perfectly balanced each other out.

So that Saturday evening, it really came as a surprise when Mark came home crying announcing that he and Donghyuck had broken up. He didn’t even hesitate a second before wrapping Mark in his arms. ‘It’s not fair, Yukhei. Life is just not fair,’ the boy was crying out. All he could do was comforting Mark, ensuring him that everything will be alright.

That night they did what they always did when one of them was going through a hard time; they watched Coco and ate as much ice cream as they wanted.

After Mark’s break-up, Yukhei considered confessing to Mark, but decided not to since that would be selfish of him. Who was he to throw another bomb at Mark after he had just broken up with his boyfriend. Having another part of his life shaken up was the last thing Mark needed right now. What he needed right now was for his best friend to be there for him.

He decided that this could wait. He had been waiting for Mark for the past four years now, he could wait longer if needed. Hell, he would wait a lifetime for Mark.

Two years had passed. They were both twenty-one now and were both nearing the end of their studies. In those past two years, they both have had some flings and short-lived relationships, but never anything too serious. For him, the reason was still the same, but for Mark he didn’t know what that reason was. Perhaps it was the same reason as his; being in love with someone else. He decided to not think too much about it, and honestly he hardly had the time to do so. His last year of university demanded a lot of his time, which he was also secretly glad for.

When the spring break was nearing, Hendery, their old friend from high school, invited them over to a party. ‘It would be great to see each other again. We haven’t seen each other in months! Plus I’m sure you guys need a break from college,’ Hendery had said over the phone. The two boys accepted the invitation, agreeing that they indeed needed some time to loosen up. ‘Oh, um I have to warn you though Mark. Donghyuck will be there as well, with his boyfriend. He is now dating Yangyang, I don’t know if you remember him? I think you met him once during high school,’ Hendery followed with an uncertain tone.

At this he turned to look at Mark, looking for his reaction. He made a face, as if telling Mark that if he didn’t want to go to the party, they wouldn’t. However, he didn’t expect Mark to be so cool about it, ‘Oh that’s no problem. Me and Donghyuck broke up ages ago, it’s fine. We’ll be there, see you then Hendery!’

When they arrived at the party, they saw so many familiar faces that they haven’t seen in ages. It was great to see them again. They were having a great time, catching up to everyone and dancing to the music. Before he knew, hours had passed. Mark was getting another drink for them, but he was gone longer than usual, so Yukhei decided to go look for him. He was walking towards the kitchen to see if Mark was in there, but he stopped when he saw Mark standing in the doorway.

Mark was standing there, frozen, looking at something at the back of the living room. He followed his gaze and then it clicked. They had managed to avoid Donghyuck all evening, but there he was, at the back of the living room, making out with Yangyang. He looked back at Mark, trying to read his face. But somehow this face was something he couldn’t quite decipher. He didn’t know what it was, but in all those years of knowing Mark, this was something he had never seen before. Was it jealousy that he saw. Or was it longing. Or perhaps anger. Or hurt. Or was it a mix of all of those. Either way, he didn’t want Mark to see that sight any longer.

He walked up to Mark, speaking softly to him. ‘Hey Mark, are you okay? We can go home if you want. We don’t have to stay here,’ he whispered in Mark’s ear. And at that, Mark visibly eased up and slowly nodded, already turning around to go home.

They were in his car now, both not speaking. He glanced over at Mark and saw that the boy was staring out of the window. Mark was never this silent, so he decided to break the silence instead. He was dreading to ask this particular question, but he just had to know. ‘Do you still love Donghyuck?’ he asked. It took a while for Mark to answer, and those moments of silence felt like an eternity for him.

‘Yes, I do,’ Mark replied whilst still looking out of the window.

Ouch, of course. It really seems like he was setting himself up for self-torture at this point. He really shouldn’t keep his hopes up. He nodded in reply and decided to leave it at this, continuing their way back home in silence.

When they arrived home, he decided that it would be best to go straight to his bedroom and wallow in self-pity, but before he could make his way to his room, Mark suddenly spoke up.

‘You know Yukhei, you can love someone without actually being in love with them. Yes I still do love Donghyuck. He was my first relationship, so yes I love him. I always have and probably always will. But that doesn’t mean that I am still _in love_ with him. I haven’t been in love with him for years. Actually, I think I have been in love with somebody else for a while now,’

At that, he turned around to face him. ‘What? You’re in love with someone else? Do I know that person?’

‘I’m pretty sure you do. Goodnight Yukhei,’ Mark replied solemnly.

‘Wait, hold on Mark. What happened to telling each other everything?’ he hurried after Mark, stopping him from moving towards his room.

‘Are we truly telling each other everything though? Because I feel like you don’t tell me anything at all anymore. During my relationship with Donghyuck, I feel like you changed. It felt like I was slowly losing my best friend. So you tell me Yukhei,’ Mark replied with a frustrated sigh.

This was it, he couldn’t hide this from Mark any longer. He didn’t know whether it was the frustration taking over him or his exhaustion. But either way, it was as if a dam exploded. ‘You really want to know why I acted like that? It’s because I have been in love with you for ages Mark. I have been in love with you for six years now. Do you know that I was about to confess to you the night you said that Donghyuck asked you out on a date? Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to see you with Donghyuck and act like I was okay? That is why I kept avoiding you whenever you were with him. And now you’re in love with someone else. I don’t even know why I still try when I know you’ll never see me in that way. So now you know why I acted like that,’ he replied, already at the verge of tears.

Mark had surprise written all over his face. ‘I- I don’t know what to say. I’m really sorry Yukhei, I didn’t know. I’m sorry for making you feel that way, truly. But you are wrong on one thing,’ Mark said, slowly moving towards him.

‘I actually do see you in that way, Yukhei. I think I have for a while now. You are that someone else. I have been slowly falling in love with you last year. I’m really sorry for making you go throughall this, but I hope you’ll still have me,’ Mark continued.

It was his turn to be surprised now. He couldn’t believe it. This was all he had been dreaming of for years and it was actually happening now. Mark, the boy he had been hopelessly in love with for the longest time, actually feels the seem way about him. ‘Are you sure? Do you really feel the same way about me, Mark,’ he asked, wanting to make sure that he understood correctly.

The younger boy slowly nodded at him with big eyes, as if not believing either that his best friend also had feelings for him. They were now standing face to face with each other, and this nod was all the confirmation he needed.

‘Can I please kiss you?’ he asked Mark, hoping that he would agree. And surely the boy did, he yet again nodded and followed it with a breathless ‘Yes’.

He slowly cupped Mark’s face and moved forwards to slot their lips together. The kiss was soft and intimate. It was unlike any kiss he ever had before. It felt like every puzzle piece fell together. This was what he had been wanting to do for ages. And so he took his time to explore every part of those lips. He wanted to make sure that he remembered every single part of it.

After they broke the kiss, he put his forehead on top of Mark’s. ‘You have no idea how long I’ve been wanting to do that,’ he said with a soft voice and closed eyes. ‘I’ve been in love with you for so long Mark. And it was so hard to see you with others, but I would do it again in a heartbeat. I would wait a lifetime for you Mark. But I hope I won’t have to wait any more. Will you officially be my boyfriend Mark?’ he said earnestly.

Mark smiled at him, that million dollar smile. That particular smile that was reserved for him and only him. ‘Yes, of course I will be your boyfriend Hei. I have been so in love with you as well and you have no idea how relieved I am to know that you feel the same way about me,’ he replied, already moving forward to press a gentle kiss on his lips.

And at that moment, he realised that all the waiting was definitely worth it. Ten years of friendship, more than half of it he spend loving his best friend from afar. But maybe, this was exactly how it was supposed to go. Life was not always fair, but in the end, it would always be worth it. Somehow he was glad that Donghyuck asked Mark out the other day. Because that way, he never had the chance to confess to Mark. Perhaps if he had, they wouldn’t be here right now. They were both much more mature and most importantly, they felt the same way about each other.

Timing was important, and right now, their timing was perfect.


End file.
